


Thurisaz

by lilithduvare



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Anxiety Attacks, Character Study, Friendship, M/M, Magic, Magical Customs, Panic, Phichit is the Best, Real Life figure skating references, Rituals, Romance, Runes, Self-Acceptance, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Mutilation, Slow Burn, Triwizard Tournament, Vicchan the Occamy, Wizarding World, burn marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 00:58:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11521206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithduvare/pseuds/lilithduvare
Summary: Three years ago Yuuri made a mistake. He tried to sneak his name into the Goblet of Fire to impress his long time idol, Victor Nikiforov, and had to face the consequences of his failure.Now, three years later, the tables have turned, and he gets chosen to be part of Mahoutokoro's delegation to Hogwarts despite his wishes to stay behind, to stay invisible, to be forgotten. Despite memories and his past failure haunting him, Yuuri has to stay strong and face not only Victor but also his fears, and find his true value as a person and as a wizard if he wants to survive what awaits him in Hogwarts.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [g-oto-art](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=g-oto-art).



> This fic was supposed to be a sweet story about Yuuri and Victor falling in love while they compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Instead it turned into a monster of character study that follows Yuuri's journey of finding and accepting himself (while also falling in love with a Victor that's anything but perfect). It has themes that might be triggering so please check the tags even though I try to be careful with my wording.
> 
> If you are looking for instant love, then this is not your fic, but if you're here for Yuuri, magic and amazing supporting characters (some of which you might recognize by name) then you might like what you read.
> 
> I want to thank [g-oto-art](http://g-oto-art.tumblr.com/) for the amazing art they made for this fic and also for being kind enough to be my pinch hitter when my first artist had to drop out. And also a million thanks to [evidentlyfishy](http://evidentlyfishy.tumblr.com/) for the incredible beta work!

                                                                                                 

**Chapter 1**

“It’s my pleasure to announce that Hogwarts has been chosen to host the Triwizard Tournament this year!”

Minako-sensei’s –– as she demanded everyone to call her –– amplified voice filled the grand dining hall, echoing in Yuuri’s ears like a nightmare he couldn’t quite remember yet left him shaken. He tried his best to sink lower in his seat and avoided eye contact with everyone around him. It had been three years, three years of wallowing in self-pity and misery. Three years of doing his absolute best to put the past behind him and overcome his weakness. Three years of experimenting with magic and pushing himself beyond his own limits. The shiny scars curling up his arms were apt reminders of how much he had sacrificed to prove himself.

For nothing.

He was still average at best, his talents lying in things everyone could do if they tried, maybe better and faster than Yuuri had managed. But it was fine. After all, he had only one year left and it wasn’t like he wanted to compete this time around. He had learned from his mistakes and would not repeat them again.

A finger poked him on the shoulder, then again and again, making him turn and look at a shock of red and gold colored hair that was obscuring a pair of huge, doe like eyes. Yuuri blinked, mouth going slack for a second. He did not remember anyone sitting next to him.

“Yuuri-senpai,” Minami said, his smile wide and hopeful, “you’re signing up for the delegation, right? You have to!”

“I…” Words stuck in his throat, and he had to avert his gaze to get away from that look of unabashed eagerness. How could he say no without crushing Minami’s expectations? It wasn’t like Minami would understand his reasoning, Yuuri himself didn’t really understand it most of the time. He just knew he couldn’t do it.

He shook his head, lips pressed together, silently willing Minami to drop the topic. Sadly, Yuuri’s legilimency skills were nonexistent and Minami was like a dog that had found a juicy, giant bone; he refused to let it drop.

“Is that a yes? Please, you have to, Yuuri-senpai, you are the best and you would be the perfect Champion our school could ask for!” he rambled, all chipper and completely oblivious. Yuuri closed his eyes and carefully ignored Seung-Gil’s derisive snort.

“Minami-kun,” he said, quietly urging the boy to shut up.

“Yes? Did you know that I’m planning to sign up too? I mean, I know my robes are only pale orange, but I’m already fifteen and it’s such a great opportunity! And I want to cheer you on while you compete even if I––”

“Kenjiro, the headmistress is still speaking, would you kindly shut up?” Seung-Gil cut in, his tone cold. Yuuri sent him a grateful look, but the other boy was looking at Minako-sensei, completely ignoring him and Minami’s sulky huff both.

“––the delegation will be appointed by the faculty based on academic and interpersonal skills, while the remaining ten spots will be filled by volunteers. However, I advise you to take the responsibilities and consequences of upholding our school’s image into consideration before you decide to sign up for the journey,” she said.

Her voice was cheerful as always, layered with that silky steel severeness that made her students both respect and fear her in equal measures. Her sharp gaze was staring down at them all, daring anyone to react inappropriately to her warning. Everyone was quiet. “Further information will be provided by your homeroom teachers tomorrow morning before breakfast. Do not pester them until then. Now, with that out of the way, all that remains is to wish you all an educational and productive school year, whether you spend it at Hogwarts or here at Mahoutokoro. Dig in!”

“Yuuri-senpai,” Minami piped up with a china pot held carefully in his hands, “tea?”

“Thank you, Minami-kun,” Yuuri replied, trying to smile at the boy encouragingly.

He had no idea why Minami was so devoted to him. He was such a lively person, full of optimism and kindness. He worked hard and Yuuri just knew that he had a bright future ahead of him. Minami did not have to resort to using second rate tricks to be able to live up to the standards expected of them, and looking down at the scar on the back of his left hand, barely visible thanks to the length of the sleeves on his robes, he was thankful for that.

“Are you looking forward to your new classes?” he asked after taking a sip. That should be a safe enough topic.

“Oh, definitely! I already start on all of the books we are going to use this year and it’s all so exciting!” Minami gushed, his chopsticks clutched close to his chest. “I need to work on my transfiguration skills and I’m really not good at Arithmancy, because numbers and equations elude me, but I really hope by time spring term ends my robes will turn dark orange.”

Yuuri’s lips curled up at that. Minami’s ambitiousness was admirable, and he had little doubt that the boy would get what he wanted. Minami was looking at Yuuri’s robes, eyeing the shimmery silver color with determination. It made Yuuri want to shrink back, but there was nowhere to hide in the crowded hall. He patted Minami’s shoulder awkwardly, then decided maybe it would better to concentrate on getting some food on his plate. Fortunately, one of Minami’s classmates drew Minami’s attention away from him, leaving Yuuri to eat in peace.

He did not expect to be chosen for the delegation. Being an average wizard at best should ensure his safety from being pushed into the limelight, and as he had decided not to sign up himself, he was almost sure he would have a quiet, hopefully productive last year that would allow him to prepare to present his final project and get ready for the five International Sorcerer’s Undertakings, or ISUs for short, he decided to take.

If nothing else, his project was going well. Maybe the approach was unorthodox and needed more than a little fine-honing before it could be called anywhere close to be finished, but experimenting with his own body and magic had had at least one good thing coming out of it. Not that someone else couldn’t have thought of it of course, but no one seemed to have before, so it was an unique enough of an idea to present it to the examination board next March. If only he could figure how to replace fire with something less damaging…

Someone jostling his arm brought him back to the present. The girl next to him blushed scarlet and stuttered around an apology that Yuuri waved away with a smile. For some reason, it only made the girl blush more and suddenly turn away without saying anything else. Nishigori snickered next to Seung-Gil, sending Yuuri an exaggerated wink, which Yuuri answered with an eyeroll, his gaze catching on the gleaming white gold band on Nishigori’s right ring finger.

“Did you propose to Yuuko?” he found himself asking his classmate, eyes widening. Nishigori grinned proudly, looking down at his ring for a second as if checking whether it was real. It was an oddly intimate moment, something Yuuri did not expect from the usually rakish boy he had known since they were seven.

“Yes!” Nishigori replied with an eager nod and thrusted his hand out to show off his ring. Seung-Gil glared at the appendage blocking him from his meal, but Yuuri did the polite thing and admired the simple yet beautiful piece of jewelry as expected. “My mother was all weepy during the yuinou ceremony which got Yuuko’s mother going as well, although between the two of us? I think they were crying over the amount of money they had to pay for the whole fanfare.”

Yuuri’s lips twitched even as someone gasped in outrage at Nishigori’s careless words. Not that Nishigori paid any attention to anyone besides Yuuri at that moment. “Well, as long as Yuuko is happy...”

“She totally agrees with me, you know. She went along with it because of our parents, but what she really wanted was going to the beach and celebrate our engagement in private. If you know what I mean.”

The obscene wink was back, causing Yuuri to snort. He might be inept at social traditions and only knew what kissing someone felt like from Yuuko’s tales, but he was not blind or stupid. And whatever their society liked to think about traditions, they lived in the 21st century and were heavily influenced by the Mahoukanai.

“I’m sure Yuuko would be furious if she knew you are talking so freely about your private life.”

“Whatever.” Nishigori shrugged, but his cheeks flushed. “I’m just happy she said yes.”

“Congratulations on your engagement, Nishigori-senpai!” Minami piped up happily, receiving a wide grin in return. “You are really lucky.”

“Thanks, kid, I know.” It was a rare moment of self-deprecation that reassured Yuuri that Yuuko would receive the devotion and love she deserved.

“Are you signing up for the Triwizard delegation, senpai?” Minami was back on topic, but this time Nishigori was his target. Then again, from what Yuuri could hear, almost everyone around them was talking about the upcoming tournament next term. And who could fault them?

The last time the tournament was held, Victor Nikiforov, Koldovstoretz’s Champion, set a new record defending his title, which was unheard of even before the age restriction was first raised to seventeen, then lowered to fifteen when a new contract had been drawn between the magical schools that give Ilvermorny, Mahoutokoro and Koldovstoretz the right to participate in the tournament with their own champions. Victor had been the first fifteen year old to be legally chosen as a champion and he made winning look so easy that three years later, everyone wanted to do the same.

Yuuri had been one of them. He wished he hadn’t been.

Nishigori, though, looked much less bitter, his smile turning rueful as he shook his head. “Can’t,” he said. “I cannot give up my place on the team for half a year and wouldn’t anyway. The Tengu comes first.”

“Oh, I understand.” Minami nodded. “If I were as talented as you in Quidditch I would think twice about signing up.”

“You’re laying it on thick, kid, that’s for sure,” Nishigori replied with a chuckle. “But seriously, I’m a twelfth year and my robes are still only bronze, I know where my talents lie.”

“But bronze is great!”

“Yes, if you are a tenth year, maybe.”

“Don’t let people hear you, Nishigori,” Seung-Gil interjected with a sneer. “The majority of upperclassmen are proud of their bronze robes.”

“More like they are trying to sell that they are proud of it, when in reality they are dying to get even just a shade closer to gray.” He cut a pointed glance at Seung-Gil’s charcoal robes then looked back at his own bronze ones.

Seung-Gil didn’t comment on that, his pursed lips a flash before his head bowed to face his plate, but the tips of his rosy ears peeking out from his mop of black hair spoke for him. Nishigori smirked, triumphant and smug over his victory against the younger boy. Yuuri smiled into his fresh cup of tea, refilled by Minami, and decided to put everything related to the Triwizard Tournament on the backburner for awhile and just enjoy the rest of his first night back to the school.

By the time he got into bed that night, the nagging thorns of worry had loosened a bit and he was lulled into sleep by Nishigori’s muffled snoring, hoping for a good year.

 

Their class was small. Well, to be fair, Mahoutokoro had the smallest student body in the entire Magical World, but Yuuri’s class was made up of only seventeen students, most of whom looked less than eager to listen to their homeroom teacher tell them about whatever rules the Board of Directors had come up with to ensure the school’s delegation would uphold the refined and superior image of Mahoutokoro.

Yuuri, still little more than half-asleep, had the fleeting thought that the whole thing was stupid. Their high and mighty attitude was such a farce. Yes, his schoolmates were competitive and did their best to achieve the greatness expected from them, but most of the times they failed to measure up to the insane expectations placed onto their shoulders. Their knees buckled and they sank into the muddy pits of oblivion, taking on high standing but still regular jobs instead of bringing great change to their world.

Maybe he was being unfair. Healers, aurors, politicians and potion makers were all needed and respected. They received the necessary recognition even if most of the time they were taken for granted, but they were not what Mahoutokoro expected from her students. What she wanted was revolution and worldwide admiration and awe, the same attention the Tengus got after winning the World Champions League for the third time in a row.

Unfortunately, aside from a copious amounts of theory the students had to swallow and integrate into their very core, Mahoutokoro did not offer anything revolutionary in her curricula. Yes, children started much earlier than in any other school, and they were expected to create a new spell on their own by the end of their twelfth year, but that was all the difference between Mahoutokoro and the other schools in the Magical World.

It had been obvious at the last Triwizard Tournament, and the way their school’s champion only had been fourth behind Koldovstoretz, Bauxbatons and Ilvermorny. Touting their own horns in a falsely humbled way and putting the students under more duress wouldn’t change facts, and if the pinched look on his homeroom teacher’s face was anything to go by, she had the same idea as she looked at them all.

“Look,” she started, “I know that whatever the headmistress might think, at least half of you could never be bothered to sign up for the Triwizard Tournament. Unfortunately, Minako-sensei and the Board of Directors have their own ideas on how things are supposed to go, which means that every twelfth year student with Titanium and up robes are automatically selected to the part of our delegation. Only the members of the Quidditch team are exempted.” She looked at Hayano and Shibutani.

“What about signing up?” Kayako asked, bathrobe clad arms folded across her chest.

“Anyone with Fire and up can put their name down, however, I highly advise all of you who wear lower level colored robes to think twice before signing up. Once your name is in the roster you cannot change your mind and if you are selected you are expected to uphold the traditions and values of our institute.” It would have been effective if her tone hadn’t been deadpan and she hadn’t read every word from the parchment in her hands.

“What if someone qualifies for mandatory participation but doesn’t want to do it?” Yuuri’s eyes shot to Mao, whose soft features were contorted into an unfriendly sneer. She was wearing her Mercury robes already, hair done up in a nice bun. Yuuri had never been more grateful to her.

“I’m afraid that is not an option.” Their teacher did sound apologetic, but at least she did not look at Yuuri as she said this, saving him from the humiliation of everyone’s unwanted attention. “I’m sure I don’t need to stress how important it is to present a respectable and united image to the other schools. Having our top students lead our delegation is a must.”

“We could put you on the team for this season?” Nishigori offered, not even trying to stifle the yawn stretching his mouth wide. Mao shook her head with a small smile in response.

“Thank you, but I’m no coward,” she said primly. The words rolled around in Yuuri’s head like heavy stones. “Any extra training we are supposed to go through before we leave for Hogwarts?”

“All candidates receive the standard training organized specifically to meet the tournament’s requirements. Entering the competition on a whim is not acceptable and won’t be tolerated.”

Yuuri sank low in his armchair, his eyes darting around for any sign of someone looking back at him. Kim-sensei was pointedly not looking at him, but he received the message loud and clear. He knew there was no way he would ever live down what happened three years ago and now here was the proof he had been waiting for since Minako-sensei first uttered ‘Triwizard Tournament’ last night.

There were a few more questions asked, none of which Yuuri paid the slightest bit of attention to. His thoughts were picked up by a black whorl and scrambled beyond recognition. He had to face the Goblet of Fire again. He had to do the very thing he vowed never to repeat. He didn’t have a choice. No way out of it…

His fingers were white as they clutched at the soft fabric of his night robe. His eyes were unseeing, his awareness devoured by mind-numbing terror. He couldn’t accept what he just heard as the truth. Just no. There had to be a way. Maybe, due to his past indiscretion, he would be deemed unfit to be part of Mahoutokoro’s esteemed delegation. The thought gave him pause, barely noticing that Kim-sensei was bowing her head and getting ready to leave. He stood up and returned the motion alongside his classmates, the response automatic and ingrained in his bones even when his thoughts were a million miles away.

Making plans had never been his forte, but the chance to find a way out of the impending mess gave him a sliver of hope that he could do it. Talking to his homeroom teacher would be useless. The decision was not up to her ultimately, and after everything Yuuri was still one of Minako-sensei’s favored students. If he weren’t, he would have been expelled three years ago. Using the right words with Minako-sensei could make all the difference he needed. And then he could graduate in peace and go home to his family and live out the ordinary life he was destined to.

Nishigori flicked him on the forehead, making Yuuri blink up at him with a most probably dumb expression and getting a cheeky grin in return. “Come on, you gotta get dressed. Mr. Future Champion or not, breakfast waits for no one.”

“Don’t call me that,” Yuuri protested weakly, tasting bile in the back of his throat even if he knew that Nishigori meant nothing bad by calling him that name.

“You need to lighten up, Katsuki, or you’re gonna get an aneurysm from all the stress you put yourself under.”

“I didn’t know you knew the word aneurysm.”

“Fuck off, I know a lot of words.”

“Yes, I bet half of them are variations of Yuuko’s name.”

“No need to be bitter over being too much of a wuss to ask her out before I got there.” Yuuri rolled his eyes at that statement.

“Yuuko is my childhood friend. I never wanted to ask her out,” he replied evenly, staring right back into Nishigori’s challenging gaze. “And she would be pissed if she heard you talk about her like she was a prize to win.”

“Whatever, my Yuuko knows I would do anything for her,” Nishigori stated proudly, chest pushed out, head held high. “Can you say the same for your darling V–-”

“Would you two stop your old married couple routine and get ready? Classes start soon,” Mao-san cut in, her tone sharp. “Katsuki-san, Kim-sensei posted the schedule for extra training on the board, make sure you don’t forget to check it.”

“Yes, thank you, Mao-san,” Yuuri answered, nodding his understanding. He averted his eyes and headed for the stairs after a quick bow, giving the board as large of a berth as he could.

“You know no one cares about your little stunt last time, right?” He heard Nishigori’s voice a little while later. Yuuri was in the middle of getting changed into his uniform, struggling to put on his undershirt. He thought about staying like that, with his head hidden by the shirt’s material to avoid the conversation, but he knew it would be useless. Nishigori tended to be like a bull and crashed through everything in his quest to get what he wanted. Maybe that was why he was such a great Chaser.

“I care,” Yuuri replied looking at his still naked feet. “I made a complete fool out of myself and brought shame to our school.”

“You’re an idiot,” Nishigori scoffed. “Sure, it sucked that your attempt backfired, but it was ballsy of you to even try. Was it hilarious when your skin turned all purple with blue spots? Totally–-”

“Shut up,” Yuuri muttered, but Nishigori went on.

“–-but only those stuck up assholes who only cared about appearances thought any less of you.”

“You’re lying. I’ve seen the looks. Still hear the whispers–-”

“You’re really a moron. All the people who talk behind your back? They’re all jealous asses, I can’t believe I have to tell you this!”

“I appreciate your… support, but it won’t change the fact that I’m going to talk to Minako-sensei and ask to be released from my obligations–-”

“Ugh… no. Stop right there. Go, be a prissy little coward for all I care. But the Katsuki Yuuri I know would never back down from a challenge.”

With that, Nishigori disappeared behind their bathroom door, leaving Yuuri flabbergasted and with the feeling of a different kind of shame than he had been feeling all this time.

 

In the end, Yuuri did not talk to Minako-sensei. He went to her office, stood in front of the ornate door for endlessly stretching minutes, but even as he raised his hand to knock, all he could hear was Nishigori calling him a coward. It was a bitter pill to swallow, the complete lack of empathy that had always been part of the way Yuuri talked himself out of things.

He was used to people telling him it was okay, that it would get better and to take as much time as he needed. He clung onto these falsely ringing consolations desperately, lying to himself about what he was really doing. That he was being a coward and running away from things. Because that was what he had been doing all his life. Sometimes he got boosts of courage and did something only to panic and crumple under the responsibility his actions brought down on him.

He was pathetic and he hated it.

That was why he did not knock in the end. Well, partly at least. Part of him just did not want to face Minako-sensei and her acerbic, sharp tongue that was never afraid to lash out if she deemed it necessary. Yet another part of him thought that he did not deserve special treatment just because he had been a stupid kid with even stupider dreams at fifteen. If Mao-san, who was at the top of their class and the closest to be worthy of the Gold robe everyone wanted to get, did not get to bow out of being part of the delegation, why should Yuuri? If anything, he deserved it less for his shameful behavior in the past.

Taking a short detour to the closest restroom to hide from the world and himself until he could find his equilibrium again, Yuuri sat in one of the stalls and wheezed into his hands for a while. His head was full of charged, cottony static that left little space for actual thoughts, but enough room for illogical tears that kept streaming down his face. Nothing made sense in that moment and facing his school mates at the dinner table seemed unbearable.

He wished cell phones worked in the castle. He wanted to hear his mother’s voice, hear the soft clearness of her Japanese instead of the magically blended syllables that tricked his brain to believe he was listening to his mother tongue even when someone used an entirely different language. He also wanted to hear his mother’s opinion, too. She had always been so level-headed and honest, supporting him the best way she could along with his father and sister.

He just wanted his family.

With one last, shaky sigh, he got up from his seat on top of the closed toilet lid he had chosen for his place to wallow and wiped away his tears. His skin felt sticky, making him scrunch up his nose and splash cold water onto his face. He avoided the mirror in front of him, choosing to stare at the white porcelain instead until his cheeks felt numb from the cold and he was marginally calmer.

He took his time getting back to his room, heaving a sigh of relief when he found it empty. He wasted no time getting rid of his robes, his shoes already lined up by the door, and falling face first into his bed. Only three and a half months left before he could go home again and forget about the impending tournament for a while.

He couldn’t wait.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again all the thanks to the brilliant [evidentlyfishy](http://evidentlyfishy.tumblr.com/) for making sense of my gibberish. Also thank you for the amazing comments and kudos and bookmarks! Here is the next chapter and I hope you'll like it too.

**Chapter 2**

 

Every twelfth year student was required to present both a proposal and at least the bare bones of a magical innovation of some kind by the end of their last semester at Mahoutokoro. It was a way to showcase the skills they had gained during their studies and also their creativity in the way of implementing those skills. Most students looked at this task as both an exciting challenge and a horrible chore, doubting their own knowledge left and right, even when they managed to come up with an idea that sounded great at first. 

Yuuri knew that he started from a better position than most of his classmates. His innovation had been inspired by past experiences and he had already tested a version of it on himself even before starting to compile a semi-comprehensive study on the topic. The only issue was the execution and how to create an agent that could be used to replace self-mutilation by fire. So far, all of his experiments had turned into failures, but giving up was not an option, because selling the idea of using enchanted fire to enhance one’s magic was a sure way to earn him a failing mark in front of the Examination Board. 

He was just cleaning up another failed attempt to infuse rowan berries and flowers with powdered crow feathers and rose oil –– the resulting ink melting off the practice skin material he had ordered from a magical tattoo shop was less than promising –– when the door to the bedroom slammed open and Nishigori stormed in with a thick book in hand.

“You’re a Runes genius, right?” Nishigori demanded, waving the book around in agitation. “You gotta help me.”

“Huh?” Yuuri asked, blinking up at him owlishly. He must have looked stupid with his fingers stained dark purple but he was grateful that the ink did not react with the outer layer of skin. 

“Runes. For. My. Final. Project.”

“Um…” Yuuri hated to be so unobservant, but he had been so absorbed by his own work and holding onto his sanity with each day he got closer to leaving for Hogwarts that he actually had no idea what Nishigori’s project was. “If I can?” he offered, unsure.

“Good.” Nishigori dropped the heavy volume of  _ Norrǿna Rún Ok Skildir _ in front of Yuuri, making him wince when the leather cover landed on top of the marred fabric. He could only hope it wouldn’t ruin the old book. “Tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

“What is your project?” Yuuri asked, watching as his fingers gently caressed the slightly faded golden letters. Nishigori grunted and dropped a few sheets of parchment on top of the book as well before sitting down on the edge of Yuuri’s bed as close to him as possible. “You could pull a chair over.”

“It’s okay. I know you when you get into your crazy research binges. Within five minutes I’ll have to relocate to my own bed anyway,” Nishigori replied, shrugging. “And it’s not that big of a deal or anything, but I just can’t find the necessary rune to make things work.”

Yuuri looked at the sheets of parchment, trying to make out the meaning behind Nishigori’s atrocious handwriting. It took him even longer than he expected but by the time he managed to reach the last page, he had a good idea of what Nishigori was trying to do. 

“This is an interesting way to use the  _ Anzen  _ charm,” he mused. “I’m terrible at Charms, but the theory seems sound,” he added when Nishigori didn’t reply. “What are you expecting from me?”

“I need to find a rune I can weave into the charm without interfering with all the other charms cast on the brooms. The goal is to create an invisible safety net around the saddle part of the broom that would prevent the players from falling off their brooms at certain heights,” Nishigori explained, leaning forward without noticing as he became more and more enthusiastic about his spell.

Yuuri nodded, contemplative. “What about the issues of the brooms getting out of control? A charm preventing a player from falling off could also result in some serious injuries.”

“I thought about that, yes, but so far nothing I tried to incorporate seemed to work. Building in a fail safe isn’t easy.”

“I can imagine, yes,” Yuuri agreed, his gaze already back on the diagram of the half finished spell. “As I said, I’m not good at Charms, but doing a chain spell might not work for this.” He tapped the long sequence depicted on the parchment. “If you want to create a net, you need to use a web design for it to work, which is admittedly harder to keep together, but with the right binding rune it’s not impossible. However, you need to forget about mixing languages. The intonation shifts and the intention the uttered spells take from the caster’s brain would make it really hard to actually work. Stick to Japanese for this. Checking an old kanji dictionary should help with the rune. Stick to the ones with meanings like ‘upholder’, ‘keeper’,  maybe even ‘reservoir’. Although these could presumably modify the charms already in place, so going obscure might be better. I would also try ‘pillar’ and some of its varieties if it doesn’t work.”

“I thought you said you suck at Charms.” Nishigori’s tone was deadpan, but a soft wisp of teasing timber was slipping through the cracks.

Yuuri pushed his glasses up his nose, embarrassed. “I do,” he admitted with a nod. “But I’m okay with theory and runes.”

“Your humility is disgusting.”

“Yes, well, you asked for my help.”

“I did and you helped a lot. While also making me look stupid in the process,” Nishigori grumbled. “I should have realized that Old Norse runes won’t be compatible––”

“Theoretically, if you can control your mental––”

“Okay, just no,” Nishigori cut in, holding up his hands. “I don’t care if the theory involves flying purple pigs, I don’t want to hear this. Making all these designs hurt enough as it is.”

Yuuri smiled, awkward but wide, taking comfort in the familiar brusqueness of his friend. It was rare to see Nishigori so stressed and serious, but it helped ease Yuuri’s nerves about his own project. 

He had two more semesters to finish it to the best of his abilities, even if those two semesters involved being away from Mahoutokoro, and also over a month of vacation he would be able to spend with his family and Yuuko and Nishigori. Phichit also promised to visit him before he had to go back to Hogwarts. His letters, besides the regular complaints about the lack of internet connection at both of their schools, were already brimming with smug exhilaration about the upcoming tournament.

After three months of extra classes and also Phichit’s surprisingly level-headed letters, Yuuri had calmed down considerably and come to slowly accept that what happened three years ago was the past no one cared about anymore. And, after seeing some of his fellow delegate members in action, he had also come to the realization that being chosen by the Goblet of Fire would be nearly impossible. Mao and Maia both had better skills and stronger magic, embodying the perfect Champion effortlessly, while Seung-Gil and Minami both fought tooth and nail to prove their worth. 

Their hunger to do their best had awakened an almost forgotten fire in Yuuri that made him try just as hard, despite knowing that he would never be able to match either girls and most of his fellow yearmates. Even with the shiny burn scars decorating his skin, his casting was little above average, forcing him to be clever and use other methods to win his duels most of the time. It was frustrating, of course, but at the same time he had to face reality as well and see that the people around him did not look down on him. At least definitely not to the extent Yuuri had believed.

 

* * *

 

Time flew by without him noticing and now he only had a week before he was leaving for home. Everyone was scrambling to finish their last minute projects and assignments, Nishigori among them. It was amusing to watch him run around, trying to find the books he needed, only to realize whatever he was looking for was not in their room and rush to the library, hoping to catch their old dragon of a librarian before she closed up for the night. The thought made Yuuri smile again, and before he knew it he was pushing his mostly finished essay away to reach for a fresh sheet of parchment. He chewed the end of his pen for a second, planning short letter for Yuuko to regale her with the novel change in her fiancé’s behavior. He imagined her face as it lit up with amusement; he couldn’t wait to see her again. 

Folding the letter, he stood up, popping his back after sitting for hours and shuffled over to his bed to change into his pajamas. He couldn’t find any reason to want to join the others in their common room, even though he could hear their merry chatter through the closed door. He felt oddly muted, as if watching the seconds pass by through an opaque glass wall.

Depression never really suited him, but it was a persistent companion that only listened to its own commands and never Yuuri’s. Nowadays he was able to cling onto the spark of new challenges Mahoutokoro and the impending tournament presented him with, but there were still times, like now, when he felt almost removed from his own life. 

He went through the same motions every day, with only the faintest sprinkles of change whenever he received a letter from his family, Yuuko, or Phichit. He had sunk into a strange lethargic state where panic about the future did not exist, but neither did any other real emotion. Except for the minute bursts of determination whenever he was faced with the impending departure.

With a shake of his head he tried to push away the morose thoughts and chose to stare up at a charming poster of Victor Nikiforov waving at his invisible herds of fans while sitting on his beloved Abraxan, Makkachin instead. It was the only one Yuuri had brought with himself from home as a sort of memento of the heights he aspired to reach one day. Because even after Yuuri’s utter failure to meet Victor on equal grounds three years ago, there was still a tiny part of Yuuri that refused to fully give up in spite of a much bigger part of him knowing perfectly well that his quest was an impossible one.

_ “Would you like a picture?” _

Yuuri closed his eyes against the sweet, acidic words echoing in his mind, burning through his heart the same way his failed experiment had eaten through the thin fake skin he had used for his tests. But the past was just that, the past and often times better left untouched to be turned into nicely colored memories down the line. Yet sometimes it was impossible not to go back, to allow the could haves and should haves rear their deceiving, ugly heads and push him into a pit of self-pity.

Yuuri knew that it would pass. It always did. He was stronger than his stupid brain and as long as he believed this, he would be fine in the end. With that in mind, he commanded his lips to curl up into a smile and he nodded at Victor’s image in a silent promise to do better before he turned on his side and closed his eyes. 

Only one week left.

 

* * *

 

Yuuri did not realize how exhausted he really was until he practically fell into his mother’s arms, inhaling her familiar, warm scent that whispered to him of unconditional love and home. Her hugs were the best and in that moment Yuuri never wanted to let her go again.

“You’re awfully thin, Yuuri,” she said after stepping back to get a better look at him. “Have you been eating? And you also got taller, haven’t you? And you look all handsome and mature. Just like your father!” She sighed happily.

“Mom,” he complained with a soft, embarrassed laugh. “I’m the same as always.”

“Of course you aren’t and that’s good,” she argued, pulling him into another hug. “Come, I made your favorite pork cutlet bowl for dinner.”

“Where are dad and Mari?” Yuuri asked, looking around in the surprisingly busy inn as they walked inside.

“They should be back shortly,” his mother chirped, smiling at the people who were looking at her and Yuuri with badly concealed curiosity. “Had to get some new guests settled. We’re nearly fully booked for the first time in years, if you can believe it. Must be the web thingy Mari had us get.”

“You mean the internet?”

“Ah, yes, the internet,” his mom agreed readily, her expression lined with wonder. “These Mahoukanai inventions still elude me, but it seems to be all the rage nowadays.”

Yuuri suppressed a chuckle at his mother’s confused enthusiasm. The new century brought on a new era in the Magical World, spread by the Americans and their need to be on top of everything. It had been like wildfire, catching on everywhere much to some of the Old Bloods’ consternation. In Japan, where being a leader in technology was one of the most important factors among the Mahoukanai, the magical population found itself following in suit, working hard to slowly, but surely get rid of outdated notions and introduce the new notions seamlessly. 

The younger generation, especially the ones who came from a Mahoukanai background, had taken to the change like fish to water. Their race to be up to date on the newest applications and gadgets was fascinating, especially with the way the newly founded technology companies kept pushing out newer and newer products basically every other day.

Cell phones and magically encrypted applications took over for owl post incredibly fast. Only the oldest institutions, like Mahoutokoro and the magical temples honoring their gods, and some of the more conservative households refused to catch up. Yuuri’s parents were far from conservative by any means, but in the past they always wanted to keep their little inn as traditional as possible. It seemed Mari had finally worn them down in the last few months and the business was better off from it. 

People of every age were milling around, wearing the inn’s traditional yukatas, most of them with a phone or tablet in their hands, tapping away happily while relaxing away from the stress of their everyday lives. The sight warmed Yuuri’s heart, pride swelling in his chest at his family’s newfound and well-deserved success. His happiness only increased when he caught sight of his father, who was chatting with an older man, caught up in his own world like usual.

“Darling!” Yuuri’s mother called. “Look who just got home!”

Yuuri’s father turned his head, his smile widening when he saw Yuuri. The man next to him, a regular Yuuri had known since he was a child, offered a hearty laugh and a wave before disappearing through the doorway leading to the public baths. Yuuri’s father met them halfway, dark eyes shining if still slightly distracted. 

“Welcome home, Yuuri,” he said, the words matching his greetings of every past homecoming Yuuri went through, both good and bad. His father was a quiet man, a bit clumsy and awkward, but he always knew what Yuuri needed to feel better.

Their hug was brief and then Yuuri’s mother was already dragging Yuuri towards the family dining area, her wand swishing carelessly in order to send Yuuri’s suitcase to his room. 

“Sit, and enjoy,” she said with a proud smile, summoning a giant bowl of pork cutlet before she sank down on the mat across from Yuuri. “And tell me everything about school.”

“Mom, I sent you letters every week.”

“Yes, and you were horribly tight-lipped,” she replied, her tone still amused even in her admonishing. She was such a genuinely happy and easygoing person that it was impossible not to indulge her.

“Nishigori and Yuuko got engaged,” he started only to get waved off.

“I know that. Yuuko has been here several times since that sweet Takeshi-kun proposed to her. She’s all frazzled with her healer training but was positively glowing…”

Yuuri blinked at his mother, trying to decipher the suggestive timbers in her tone. When she raised an eyebrow, he felt his jaw drop. “You don’t mean…”

“She hasn’t mentioned anything for sure, but a mother knows these things.”

“But Nishigori––”

“Takeshi-kun probably doesn’t know yet either. After all, you don’t tell this sort of matter over a letter.”

Yuuri didn’t know what to think or how to react. His face felt frozen in eternal perplexion, the thought of Yuuko pregnant just not computing. It wasn’t that she was bad with children, but she had always been so career oriented, doing her best to achieve her goals without letting anyone stand in the way. It just didn’t seem like her to make such a… ‘mistake’ felt like a rude and disrespectful word, but Yuuri just couldn’t… couldn’t think of anything else.

“Mom, I don’t think––”

“I’m sure whatever happens will be fine,” she interrupted serenely, as if she hadn’t just dropped the bomb of a possible pregnancy into Yuuri’s lap. She patted the top of his hand and smiled. “Now, tell me about your time at Mahoutokoro. All the adventures you were all mum about in your letters.”

Yuuri suppressed a sigh. “No adventures to talk about,” he said, avoiding his mother’s eyes. “My exams went as well as possible and you know that I was chosen to go to Hogwarts with the Triwizard Tournament delegation in October.”

“Yes! And you will be great,” his mother replied, sounding like Yuuri had already won the competition. “We’re incredibly proud of you. All of us.”

“Mom…”

“No, Yuuri. You have worked hard and have a Silver robe to show off for it. You are an intelligent and talented Mahouka, who is more than worthy of being chosen as Mahoutokoro’s Champion.”

Yuuri’s vision blurred while his throat constricted around the heavy lump that formed inside of it during his mother’s speech. He had missed her and his family so much. Their support meant the world to him even in his worst moments when he couldn’t appreciate anything. 

Something small and soft rubbed against his thighs, making him blink away the unshed tears and look down. He put his chopsticks down on autopilot to reach out and pet the feathery wings of Vicchan who was already halfway up his torso in his quest to reach Yuuri’s food. Yuuri chuckled and gently pulled the Occamy away from the half-empty bowl.

“You know the rules, Vicchan,” he admonished gently, “no human food for you.” 

Soft scaly skin pressed against his palm as Vicchan tried to grow in size, but a tap on his nose from Yuuri and the sight of an Occamy treat from Yuuri’s mother stopped his attempt within seconds. The sound that left Vicchan’s little mouth was between a chirp and a hiss, a delighted noise as he scarfed down the treat then went on and nuzzled against Yuuri’s chest, properly welcoming him home.

“He missed you terribly,” Yuuri’s mother said. Yuuri saw her smile, her happiness bright and open, as she looked at him with Vicchan.

“I missed him too.” He swallowed, taking a deep breath. “I missed all of you.”

“As we missed you, Yuu-chan.” They shared another smile, this one slightly shaky before his mother patted his hand and waved at his bowl. “Eat or it will go cold.”

“Of course,” Yuuri agreed, not mentioning that the food was charmed to keep it warm. “How things have been here? Besides the success?”

“Good, everything is good. Your father has been enjoying being busy; I even caught him humming the other day. Mari, not so much. You know how she is. But she’s happy too, I know. She worked hard on setting up all the modern stuff. They are supposed to bring one of those Visios or whatnot in a few days too.”

“Television?”

“That, yes. Mari made us sign some papers. Something about channels? I’m sure you’ll understand it more than I do. But as long the guests like it, I’m happy.”

“That’s great, mom,” Yuuri said, nodding. He set his chopsticks down and put his hands together, thanking for the meal. “It was wonderful.”

“Good. Here, drink some tea as well.” She flicked her wand, summoning a tea set like it was nothing. The pot poured both of them a cup of steaming tea and Yuuri inhaled the familiar aroma with a nostalgic feeling. He felt his mother’s gaze on himself, but he was immensely grateful when she didn’t try to ask about his time at Mahoutokoro again. 

Instead, they sipped their tea, Vicchan dozing around Yuuri’s neck, and enjoyed the companionable silence that settled between them. It wasn’t until Yuuri was getting up, ready to head for bed when his mother spoke again, quiet and heartfelt and brimming with compassion.

“Yuu-chan, it’s okay to be weak sometimes, but giving up without trying only brings regrets.” 

Yuuri couldn’t reply, glad that the fringe falling into his eyes as he bowed his head obscured his mother’s view of his face. He nodded his head tightly then wished her a hoarse goodnight and quickly left the room. Her words haunted him long after he was lying in his bed, Victor’s animated ever smiling face looking down on him from dozens of pictures. 

Regrets indeed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Reviews are always welcome and you can always talk to me on tumblr too! I'm yurionmagic.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell you guys how sorry I am for not updating sooner. Sadly, my internet connection at our other house completely disagreed with the AO3 text editor and I didn't have the time to do the whole html coding for everything. But I'm back, so expect the rest of this story to be updated every three days. Thank you for being amazing and patient and all the support you showed!

Phichit arrived with his flurry of flamboyance, his cellphone in hand already taking dozens upon dozens of pictures he wanted to show to the world. His English was rapid and still bore the aftertaste of British influence Hogwarts seemed to install in every one of her students. He refused Yuuri’s offer of the Babelian charm, saying that Yuuri needed all the practice he could get before arriving  in Scotland because apparently the old tradition of letting every delegation suffer through the complete awkwardness of communication had not died in the last three years.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for all of us to get a taste of other languages and decide if we want to learn any of them,” he said. “Not to mention, the strange buzz that fills your ears whenever you’re under the Babelian charm is annoying.”

Yuuri laughed, nodding. They were enjoying the balmy night air in one of the hot springs, catching up in ways they hadn’t had the chance in their letters. Phichit was showing off his million selfies with his school mates during breaks and at different meals. Yuuri raised his eyebrows at the amount of pictures, the notion of carrying a cellphone with himself at Mahoutokoro completely alien.

“It’s a new rule,” Phichit admitted. “Headmaster Longbottom is a peach and allowed us to use our phones and gadgets, but only for good. And not during classes. I mean, communicating is still out of the question, because Hogwarts is in the middle of nowhere and the wards won’t let reception in, but it’s been good. At least we can play games and take pics and make videos. Someone has this really cool tablet and she uses it to create digital paintings! Look! I commissioned this just for you!”

Suddenly, Yuuri’s vision was taken over by the small screen of Phichit’s phone and he had to push it away a little to see what was on it. His breath caught in his throat and he felt his face heat up much worse than it ever had from the hot water they were soaking in. He tried to open his mouth to say something, but his voice was lost and he couldn’t do more than gape at the image in front of him.

Victor was naked. Well, he had his private parts covered by a flimsy white towel but he was showing so much skin Yuuri had no idea where to look. Part of him really wanted to turn away, but a much bigger and honest part just couldn’t and didn’t want to take his eyes off the beautiful sight of Victor lying on a bed with his hair mussed, droplets of water from his bath or shower still clinging to his skin as he was looking into the camera with half-lidded, inviting eyes.

Yuuri cleared his throat and finally managed to turn to Phichit who was grinning knowingly, his expression incredibly smug. “I take it you like?” At least he didn’t look pointedly at the water that was doing a bad job at concealing _any_ part of their bodies.

“I… how did you get this?”

“I commissioned it from the girl I was talking about.”

“Wait. This is a drawing?”

“Digital painting, but yes.”

“Oh my God.”

“I know right? She’s amazing!”

“Amazing…” And Yuuri was once again staring at the picture, his mouth dry. Yes, it was amazing and the dirtiest part of his mind wanted to have that image put on a body pillow. He shook his head to chase the idea away, but it was already rooted deep inside his mind. “I… Thank you, Phichit.”

“Oh, you’re more than welcome.” The sound of a camera shutter was heard, causing Yuuri’s head to snap towards Phichit just in time to be caught on another image. With his dumb face dominating the image. “Perfect! Now I just need a caption…”

“You’re not uploading that on the internet.”

“Of course I am!” Phichit giggled with a wink, then quickly scurried away and out of reach, crowing in triumph when Yuuri was too slow to catch him. “You look adorable and it’s the perfect way to celebrate getting such a great present from your best friend.”

“You did not put that image on Instagram.”

“The one I showed you? Of course not. That’s for your eyes only.” Phichit winked again, then heaved himself out of the water, reaching for a fresh towel. “Don’t be like that, Yuuri. You’re gorgeous and cute, and my followers missed you.”

Yuuri clenched his jaw, staring down at his scarred chest and his also heavily scarred arms that were folded across it. He had trusted Phichit and it felt way too close to betrayal that his friend would…

“It’s only your face, silly,” Phichit said, interrupting Yuuri’s rapidly darkening thoughts. His voice was soft as he turned his phone screen towards Yuuri again. “See? Just your pretty face being loved by the camera. With over a hundred Likes already.”

He was right. A stuttered sigh broke free from Yuuri’s lungs and he closed his eyes, taking a moment to compose himself. “I’m sorry,” he replied.

“No, it’s okay to be upset, Yuuri.” Phichit’s hand was warm on his shoulder. “But you have to know that I would never do anything to hurt you, okay?”

Yuuri nodded and offered a weak smile. He bit back another apology and silently berated himself for doubting his best friend. Phichit was probably the kindest person besides his mother he ever met, yet he still thought the worst of him the second the chance presented itself. Sometimes, he really hated his stupid brain and its messed up ways to think.

“Come on, no time to mope.” He found himself dragged out of the water in a heartbeat with a once again beaming Phichit in front of him. “I’m starving and I heard something about some pork.”

It was hard not to let his bad mood go when faced with Phichit’s eternal joy, and soon Yuuri found himself smiling wider and more than he had in the past year, his resolve melting away under the ray of sunshine his best friend was.

Later that night, when they were lying in Yuuri’s bed like they always did whenever Phichit visited, Yuuri felt content and relaxed. Still, he was surprised to find himself ask, “Do you think I have a chance?”

Phichit was silent for a moment, his face illuminated by the screen of his phone. Yuuri chanced a look at him, meeting the shining brown eyes that seemed to see everything and forcing himself not to turn away.

“I think it’s not about whether you have a chance but about you giving yourself one,” Phichit replied in the end, his tone contemplating.

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re my best friend, Yuuri––”

“You’re my best friend, too, Phichit,” Yuuri hastened to assure him, not really knowing where this was going.

Phichit smiled, a flash of white teeth in the muted light, but then shook his head. “I know. But what I wanted to say was that you are your own biggest enemy. You’re a great wizard,” he glared at Yuuri when he snorted at that, but went on, “but you tend to self-sabotage yourself and still manage to be too prideful to ask for help. I know you don’t believe me, probably wouldn’t even if you were standing on the podium accepting the Triwizard Cup, but you have as much chance to be chosen and win as any of us.”

“That’s really nice of you, but––”

“No buts.” Phichit cut in firmly. “You asked for my opinion. This is it. You can agree or not, but I’m not going to argue with you because I know your true worth even if you yourself don’t.” With that Phichit turned his phone off and curled up on his side, showing his back to Yuuri. “Good night.”

“Thank you, Phichit,” Yuuri managed to say, meek and taken aback. “Good night.”

He slept fitfully, dreaming of failure and heartbreak, but the time morning arrived only the vague feeling of distress remained, something that quickly dissolved in the face of Phichit’s excitement to drag Yuuri around town to see what had changed since he last saw it two years ago.

With Phichit around, time seemed to fly, days melting into a series of camera flashes and laughter, allowing Yuuri to relax and enjoy himself properly. Phichit was curious and also envious of him for being able to use magic outside of school. Being two years younger and not a legal adult anywhere seemed to have its drawbacks, especially with the rigid rules the British Magical government had in place for underage magic use.

“It’s stupid, if you ask me. I’m only a few months––”

“Eight.”

“A _few_ months away from turning seventeen. And anyway, this is a magical town. Everyone knows about and uses magic here. It’s just unfair,” he whined, glaring at Yuuri’s wand from his place on Yuuri’s bed with contempt. “I should have tried harder to make my parents send me to Mahoutokoro.”

“You told me your parents hated going there.”

“Yes, but that’s them. I mean, look at the gorgeous robes! And the amazing classes!”

“You have the same in Hogwarts.”

“Maybe, but we only have the stupid OWLs and NEWTs to prepare for. No exciting final projects––”

“There is nothing exciting––”

“Yuuri, you’re creating a magical ink that would allow wizards and witches with smaller magical cores to draw power from their surroundings. How is that not exciting?”

Yuuri looked at yet another failed attempt to create said ink and raised an eyebrow. Phichit waved it away as if it was irrelevant, making Yuuri snort. Trust his best friend to only care about the big picture and ignore the details.

“Your theory is sound,” Phichit went on, his finger poking at the burnt edges of the hole the newest ink created in the practice skin. “Once you find the right ingredients–-”

“ _If_ I find the right ingredients.”

“––you’ll be unstoppable.”

“But if I don’t I’ll have nothing and don’t get to graduate.” He saw Phichit open his mouth, his eyes on Yuuri’s bare forearm. He decided to go on before Phichit could say anything. “No. They won’t accept my _revolutionary_ idea of burning the runes into people’s skin in order to channel the power they need. That’s called torture.”

“Well…”

“Just let it go, Phichit, I still have seven months to figure out the right combination of ingredients required for the ink. That has to be enough.”

Phichit huffed, but dropped the topic, going back to fiddle with his phone. He had only a few days left of his visit and as he had told Yuuri, he wanted to get the most out of it. Which apparently meant dragging Yuuri to Kiseki-ku, Tokyo’s Magical District, next morning, intending to spend the day shopping and taking selfies.

“People love you,” Phichit crowed, laughing at the number of Likes his pictures were getting. “All my followers want to know who the ‘cutie’ is in my pics. This is so much fun!”

Yuuri chose not comment on his friend’s craziness, used to his antics and obsession with social media. His own phone was in his hands for a change, checking the Milan Trophy standings every other minute, waiting for Victor’s results. He really wanted to find a place with a TV to watch the event. Equestrian sports using winged horses like Abraxans and Pegasi were relatively new in the Magical World, only going back two hundred years or so. However, with the federation’s new rules in place that put a much greater emphasis on technical elements and crazy acrobatics, they had become increasingly popular all over the world in the past twenty years, nearly matching the following of Quidditch along with Hippogriff and Granian racing.

Yuuri had been a fan of Abraxan Dressage since he first came across the sport when he was five. His mother had taken him to Kiseki-ku for shopping and one of the pubs was holding a viewing. Back then TVs were rare, so it was no surprise Yuuri was instantly curious when he saw the moving and speaking images on the huge flat screen. Then he laid eyes on the majestic horses that flew through impossible looking hurdles as if it was nothing, and Yuuri knew he was in love.

For a while he wanted nothing more than to become a Dressage champion, to ride the huge creatures with the same artistic ease the men and women in the competitions did, but soon he had to face the ugly truth; he was too short and too poor to achieve his dream. Of course, he never blamed his parents. He could see how hard they both worked and did their best to give both Yuuri and his sister everything they could. And then he was admitted to Mahoutokoro and he found a different love in rituals and runes, even if his adoration for magical creatures never really diminished.

Now, over a decade later, he was still an avid follower of Dressage, his love only enhanced by the magnificence of Victor Nikiforov, the youngest World Dressage Champion of all times. Victor was brilliant and his connection with his Abraxan, Makkachin, was already legendary. The winged horse could practically read Victor’s mind following his lead with barely any prompting. And to think that he had humiliated himself in front of Victor three years ago, no matter how indirectly…

Yuuri shook his head and refreshed the page. Phichit was currently trying to decide the flavors of his sundae, absorbed by the crazy colors and names of the ice cream offered at the café they chose for a quick break. Victor was up next and he had a tough score to beat, but Yuuri knew he could do it. He still wished he could watch his program, but the little café didn’t have a TV and the weather was really nice, so of course they were seated outside anyway.

He was so absorbed by his phone, his mind focused on the slowly increasing points and calculating how much more Victor needed, that he didn’t notice the spoon heavily laden with ice cream getting closer to his face until his cheek was smeared in the stuff. He yelped and reared back, eyes wide as he stared at Phichit who was already tapping away at his own phone, most probably posting another picture of Yuuri with ice cream all over his face.

“You are a horrible person.”

“Yet you love me anyway,” Phichit sing-songed, winking at him and sending a small group of girls into giggles behind them. Yuuri wanted to deny it just to be contrite, but he knew it would be pointless. Phichit knew him better than most, so he knew when Yuuri was lying. “How is your dear Victor doing?”

“He,” Yuuri looked at his phone, his messy face forgotten, “he’s in the lead! By nearly six points, too!”

“Sorry you couldn’t see him.” Phichit did sound a bit sorry. “But who knows? Maybe he’ll be at the tournament as a coach?”

Yuuri felt almost dizzy with dread at the thought. “Don’t even joke about that.”

“Why? You can’t be still hung up on that stupid mistake.” Yuuri, pursed his lips. “Of course you are. I should have connected the dots, really. I mean your self-worth issues have always existed, but your reluctance to go for the cup… Of course it’s all about Victor Nikiforov.”

“No!” Yuuri denied, shaking his head violently. “But what I did was––”

“It was cool. Brave. Reckless. You had the guts to break the rules, which no one had dared to do since the Weasley twins. Of course, you got caught, but imagine if you hadn’t…”

Yuuri didn’t want to imagine. Looking back at the tournament three years ago, he knew he would have died if he had been chosen. Even Christophe Giacometti, Beauxbatons’ Champion, had ended up with some pretty serious injuries and the man had been nearly eighteen at that time. What could he, a scrawny, pathetic fifteen years old have done? His power levels had been below average even then, and the only reason his robes had been bronze at that time was that he worked incredibly hard not to fall behind, studying up all the theory he could to master the spells that were naturally beyond his reach.

In a way he was grateful for the total failure he had faced when he had tried to put his name in the Goblet. But the prideful side of him, that same little voice that had urged him to go for it, to show Victor and the Magical World his worth, still nagged at him at times with devious ‘what ifs’ and too good to be true theories. This time, Victor wouldn’t be there to see whether he failed again or came out as victorious.

He let out a deep sigh and shrugged. There was nothing for it now. He would go through the entire ordeal, show support to whomever got chosen, while also cheering for Phichit should he become Hogwarts’ Champion, and then hopefully successfully graduate by the end of April and get on with his life. An ordinary life for an ordinary person.

He watched the last competitor’s scores, nodding in satisfaction when they didn’t even get close to Victor’s. Phichit was humming to himself, obviously enjoying his sundae and watching the people around them come and go. Even with so much time spent apart, he was frighteningly good at gauging Yuuri’s moods and acting accordingly.

“You know, you could always become one of those beast wranglers,” he commented absentmindedly, turning his phone towards Yuuri to look at the image of a pretty blond haired woman. “Like Luna Lovegood.”

“Luna Lovegood is one of the most respected magizoologists in the world. Please don’t ever say ‘beast wrangler’ again. Ever.” Yuuri couldn’t help the grimace that twisted his face. The term was disrespectful and tasted foul on his tongue.

Phichit’s lips curled up, his dark eyes shining. “So you thought about it.”

“What? No! But I like magical creatures and Luna Lovegood is a leading expert in the field…” Phichit was laughing at him. “Seriously, there is no way I could do that. Travel around the world to research different species… I’m not brave enough for that.”

“Nonsense. You’re one of the bravest people I know.”

“Phichit…”

“No, listen. You don’t need to travel the world and explore crazy places. But I know you and even if you don’t say it out loud, you’ve been agonizing over what you want to do with your life after graduation.”

Yuuri gritted his teeth, his gaze dropping to his forgotten cup of tea. He had half the mind to order a huge bowl of ice cream to silence the weird buzzing in his mind, but he had given up eating his feelings for a reason and he did not want to fall back into the black hole of stuffing his face until he was on the verge of being unable to walk or do anything. Not to mention the weight gain would cause his skin to stretch painfully, which  was just not worth the moments of silence in his head. His scars needed careful and rigorous tending to, not leaving space for sweet indulgences.

So instead of being stupid, he took a deep breath, grateful that Phichit was patient enough to wait for him to process being faced with hard truths. He swallowed and slowly dipped his chin after a few minutes of silence, unable to deny his friend’s observations.

“You’re… not wrong,” he admitted, finally looking up again. “But becoming a magizoologist, I don’t think I could do that.”

“As I said, you don’t need to go into the wilderness. A lot of breeders and most sports clubs employ experts who tend to their animals. Just imagine working for someone like Yakov Feltsman!”

“You’re crazy.” Yuuri couldn’t help but laugh. The idea that one of the world’s best Dressage coaches would hire him to work with him and his team was ludicrous. “Yakov Feltsman is a legend.”

“Well, what’s life without dreaming big?”

“There is big and there is impossible.”

Phichit shrugged. “It’s only impossible if you don’t try it.”

“Really? Then what have you been up to? You only have two more years left before graduating after all.” Yuuri raised an eyebrow, trying to come across as sardonic, hoping that it would make Phichit falter.

Instead, Phichit shrugged nonchalantly and said, “I always wanted to do some performing. Maybe I’ll look into acting or something like that. With the way the Magical World is finally catching up, it shouldn’t take long before the first movie comes out. Or maybe I should try to do it myself.”

Yuuri opened his mouth to reply then closed it, more than slightly floored by his best friend’s daring dreams. At the same time he couldn’t forget what Phichit had just said. _“It’s only impossible if you don’t try it.”_ And watching his best friend’s glowing face, he could almost believe that maybe Phichit was right, maybe dreaming big wasn’t a bad thing even if nothing would come out of it in the end.

“That’s great,” he found himself saying. He wanted to see Phichit become great, whether it was in the slowly developing Magical Film Industry or something else entirely.  The realization that he actually meant it without feeling the bitter bit of insecurities gnaw at him was startling, but more freeing than anything he had felt in a long time.

“I know. Now it’s your turn to dream big,” Phichit replied with a cheeky wink, then stood up and stretched. Ready to do some more shopping? There is an Equestrian shop not far down the street, let’s see if we can find a few new posters of your beloved Victor.”

Yuuri groaned, but did not argue. He was always up for finding some new paraphernalia of Victor.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuri was sad to see Phichit go, but they both had responsibilities waiting for them. For Phichit, he had to go back home to his family and get ready for his sixth year at Hogwarts. For Yuuri, he had his own projects to work on while also helping at the inn as it seemed to be always full nowadays. Still, in the past two and a half weeks, he had gotten used to Phichit’s sunshine bright presence and his ever present phone that documented nearly every moment of their time together.

The first night after Phichit left was the hardest with hours upon hours spent wide awake, sleep eluding him completely. Yuuri was no stranger to insomnia, but over the years he had managed to get used to a routine, even if that routine meant usually sleeping less than five hours for days and then crashing every five to six days when his body decided it couldn’t deal with the exhaustion any longer. Now, however, his cycle was once again upended, and without Phichit’s soothing warmth and cadence of breathing he found himself sitting on the porch looking out at the garden, his thoughts jumbled and swirling.

He watched the sun rise and paint the sky in pink and red and orange before it all blended into a bright blue that reminded Yuuri of a pair of glittering eyes that never saw him, no matter how hard he had tried to seek them. Thinking of Victor and lost opportunities still left him slightly breathless, but the bitterness was slowly fading and he could feel the way his memories were slowly reshaping into something sweeter and kinder than they used to be. Given time, he would probably be able to look back on his failures with mirth bubbling up in his throat, and maybe one day he would be able to tell how he attempted to enter his name into the Triwizard Tournament at fifteen with laughter touching his lips, but that day had not arrived yet.

His body felt heavy with exhaustion, but his mind was awake, not showing any sign of wanting to slow down. He was absently listening to the far away sound of people talking and laughing, enjoying their vacation, his lips curling up. His smile turned into a chuckle when he felt Vicchan land on his shoulder, the Occamy’s weight comforting and familiar. He reached up to pet Vicchan’s smooth scales, breathing in the fresh morning air. He knew he would need to get up and head inside soon to start the day, but for now he was content to allow the world to pass by him and do nothing. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been ages. I don't even know why I didn't post the rest of this story when it's actually finished... well as finished as it's going to get as of yet. Maybe I'll make myself write more after the movie comes out, but for now as much as I still love YoI and Victuuri, my inspiration is practically nonexistent. Nevertheless, thank you for your amazing support and I hope you will like the rest of this story as well.
> 
> Thanks the help to my wonderful beta once again

**Chapter 4**

Days melted into a blur and before Yuuri knew it, he was putting on his Mahoutokoro uniform, grateful for the magic woven into the fabric that made dressing so much easier. He was all packed and ready to leave, if only he could move away from watching the shimmery, almost bluish color of his kimono. His hakama was still silver, metallic and almost dark, but the kimono has turned a shade lighter and gained a new sheen, shocking Yuuri to his core. It wasn’t Mercury, not yet, but almost and the implication of it seemed unbelievable.

“Yes, you’re really not as much of a loser as you thought. Are you done checking yourself out?” Mari asked from the doorway, her arms crossed across her chest, but despite her usual sardonic tone, she seemed more amused than irritated.

Yuuri suppressed a groan and finally turned away from the mirror. “I wasn’t checking out myself,” he protested, knowing how lame he sounded. Mari just smirked and gestured towards the hallway. 

“I’m proud of you, kid,” she said as Yuuri reached her. “Try not to get yourself killed.”

“As if––” He cut himself off, biting the self-deprecating words back. He had decided to stop doubting himself. Just because he wasn’t as strong magically as Mao-san or Maia did not mean he didn’t have a chance to be chosen. And even if he didn’t, it wasn’t the end of the world. Nine months spent at Hogwarts with Phichit was the best way to end his school career. And maybe, somewhere along the line, he would actually figure out what he really wanted to do as well. “I’ll do my best,” he chose to finish in the end, earning a rakish grin and a pat on the shoulder.

“Good. Now go, before that stupid bird destroys the inn. And don’t forget your blasted worm either. I’m sick and tired of taking care of him for you.”

“Vicchan is an Occamy,” Yuuri shot back, indignant. “And he’s already in his carrier.”

“Hmpf, an overgrown, fancy Flobberworm more like, but whatever. As long as he’s gone, I don’t care.”

“Yeah, sure,” Yuuri muttered, rolling his eyes the moment his back was to his sister. Despite all her complaining, their mother had told Yuuri that Mari had gotten attached to Vicchan and she was just putting up a front. “I’ll send you pictures.”

“Please don’t.”

Yuuri snickered and walked into the reception hall where their parents were waiting for him with his luggage and Vicchan’s carrier. He sank into his mother’s warm embrace, reveling in the almost crushing hold of her arms and soaked up the touch of his father’s hand on his shoulder. 

“Don’t forget to write, Yuu-chan,” his mother reminded him, her smile blinding. Her dark eyes were shining but there were no tears fortunately. “And do your best.”

Yuuri swallowed heavily and nodded his head. He tapped the tip of his wand against his suitcase, then picked up the small carrier and walked out to get into the carriage waiting for him with a heavy but oddly free heart.

Two more months.

Nishigori looked dazed during dinner, his movements stilted and absent minded while he was eating, dropping rice and meat back into his bowl more often than not. Yuuri had a suspicion of what had gotten into his friend but knew that it was better to wait until Nishigori just blurted whatever was on his mind out. And he was right.

“Yuuko is pregnant,” Nishigori said once they were back in their room. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, with his hands splayed out in front of him while Yuuri was slowly unpacking his things with his hands to give both of them time to process what’s going on. “With triplets.”

Yuuri had to bite down on his tongue hard not to say the first thing that came to his mind which actually was “You’re kidding, right?”. His second and third ideas of what he should say didn’t turn out any better, really, but to his defence, he was beyond shocked and it only increased his usual level of awkwardness.

But still. 

Triplets. 

By the Gods, Nishigori was only a couple of months older than him. Still in school and Yuuko herself only a year older. Yuuri tried to imagine himself in Nishigori’s place but it was a terrifying prospect he could not really envision without shuddering. He was nowhere near ready to have one let alone three children all at once. To think Nishigori had no choice and that he and Yuuko weren’t even married… Twenty-first century or not, Yuuri knew both of their parents and how old-fashioned they were.

“I… Congratulations.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Nishigori replied with a snort and a shake of his head. “It’s… mind-blowing you know. Kids. I’m going to be a dad… Oh Gods, Yuuri, I’m going to be a dad!”

Yuuri nodded hesitantly, allowing Nishigori to take his time properly freaking out about his not so future fatherhood. He busied himself packing away the last of his clothes and books, respectfully turning his back to Nishigori who was still murmuring to himself, repeating the same words again and again. Yuuri didn’t blame him.

“I have no idea what to do!” Nishigori’s yell caused Yuuri to wince. “Yuuri, I’m going to be a shit dad! Oh Gods, Yuuko will hate me–-”

“Nishigori,” Yuuri started, walking over to his friend’s bed slowly. “Yuuko loves you. And you’re in this together. It’s going to be all right.”

“How can you be so sure?! She’s expecting triplets! That’s three times the kids I thought I’ll ever have.”

“Takeshi.” Nishigori blinked up at him in surprise. Yuuri never called Nishigori his given name, no one really did, but it did the trick just fine. “You like children and you’re going to be fine. You have Yuuko, you have both of your parents. No one expects you to be perfect.”

“Oh… Yeah, I guess. You’re right. And I still have time to learn, right?”

“At least eighteen more years, yes.” Yuuri offered a small, hopefully encouraging smile which Nishigori returned just as uncertainly. At least he didn’t look like he was about to hyperventilate anymore. “And I’m sure there are some books in the library.”

“Yeah… yeah, I’ll check…”

“Tomorrow,” Yuuri said when it seemed like Nishigori was ready to bolt. “You can wait until tomorrow.”

“Oh… yes, of course. Sorry, I guess I’m still in shock or something.”

Yuuri nodded and awkwardly patted Nishigori’s shoulder. “It’s okay. Get some rest, the babies won’t be here for a few more months at least.”

“Okay,” Nishigori agreed, his gaze still a little glassy. 

Yuuri went back to his bed and decided it would be for the best if he ignored everything else for now. Vicchan was already quietly snoozing on one of the pillows, unaware of all the human drama going on around him, something Yuuri envied him for dearly. Then again, he would probably miss everything if his life were as simple as Vicchan’s. It would be easier, yes, but nowhere near as interesting. With that thought in mind, he slipped between his sheets and closed his eyes, hoping to survive the next two months without breaking down too many times.

As it turned out, he got too busy to even think about mental breakdowns and his depression. The extra training all members of the Triwizard Tournament delegation received doubled both in time and difficulty, forcing Yuuri to push his boundaries even with his runes doing part of the work for him. And when he wasn’t practicing potions and studying for his classes, he was working on his final project, which was still only half-finished. But at least he finally managed to figure out that using an ingredient from all four elements of nature would help stabilize the ink.

His notes were a giant mess, yet he felt only elation mostly besides the bone-melting exhaustion that made his entire body feel like it was made of lead. He was a step closer to solving the problem that had been plaguing him for the better part of a year, and once he managed to find the perfect balance of ingredients, he would only need to document everything properly before handing in his thesis and then present it to the Board in April. 

By the time their delegation, headed by Minako-sensei, boarded the huge carriage that looked more like a small oriental castle than a real coach the morning before All Hallows’ Eve, Yuuri was mostly sure that it would be either Mao-san or Seung-Gil who would be chosen by the Goblet of Fire to be Mahoutokoro’s Champion, and he felt oddly fine with that knowledge. Seung-Gil himself looked grim and pale as the flock of cranes lifted the carriage into the air, small droplets of sweat glistening above his upper lip.

“Are you okay?” Yuuri found himself asking, looking at the boy seated across from him. 

Seung-Gil scowled and nodded his head tightly, his jaw clenched. He turned away to look out at one of the windows, showing Yuuri he did not want to talk. Minami-kun, who was sitting right next to Yuuri, was nearly vibrating out of his skin, his smile splitting his face in half.

“Isn’t it exciting, Yuuri-senpai?” he whispered, his eyes full of stars. “We’re going to see Hogwarts! I’ve heard it’s amazing, with real suits of armor that move! And Headmaster Longbottom is a war hero! Oh Gods, what if I make a fool out of myself?!”

Yuuri suppressed a sigh. He understood Minami’s nervousness, he was feeling similarly even if the emotions swirling inside his chest were not as strong. He was mostly calm and as collected as possible, the panic he expected to experience almost non-existent. 

“Headmaster Longbottom is a nice man,” he said, remembering the kind, soft-spoken professor from three years ago. He was a leading expert in Herbology, and had treated his students with understanding and a kind of supportiveness most children only could hope for from their teachers. If Yuuri remembered correctly, it had been the man’s first year as a headmaster, but he had done admirably and urged all his students to support their Champion even the Goblet had chosen a Slytherin, something Phichit said was not the best thing to be in Hogwarts. “And you’ll be fine.”

He watched with a growing sense of horror as Minami’s large eyes filled with tears and then the boy grabbed his hands. “Thank you, Yuuri-senpai!” he whispered, reverent. 

Yuuri could only nod even as he conjured a tissue with a wave of his wand, awkwardly handing it to Minami. The boy sniffled and then blew his nose loudly, earning a scoff from Seung-Gil. Yuuri hid a smile by turning to his bag to look for his phone and earphones. Maybe listening to some music would make time pass by faster. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of his seat, allowing the soft melody in his ears to wash over him.

* * *

 

Hogwarts was looking down at them with its thousands of golden eyes as the door of their carriage opened, allowing them to step out onto the school’s ground. The entire student body of Hogwarts was out there to welcome their delegation, the sea of shadowed faces melting together into a mass of skin and swimming colors. Their robes, unlike the wide variety of Mahoutokoro’s uniforms, were black and uniform, offering the illusion of unity despite the divide that still existed between Hogwarts’ houses. 

Neville Longbottom was standing at the head of the group, his wide shoulders straight and proud, smiling softly. “Welcome to Hogwarts,” he greeted them in English and made an attempt to bow. “I hope you will feel right at home. If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask.”

Yuuri couldn’t see it from his position in the near back, but he could imagine Minako-sensei’s wide smile as she offered her hand for Headmaster Longbottom to shake, and the whole scene just reeked of awkwardness. Everything felt fake. Still, he had to admire Headmaster Longbottom for pushing through it valiantly with the same kindness he had shown during the previous Tournament and inviting them into the castle. The Hogwarts students parted in front of him and allowed way to Yuuri and his schoolmates without a word, most of them craning their heads to see better. Yuuri could see a few pointed fingers and the wide eyes of their owners gawking at the differently colored traditional gear they were wearing. 

Someone touched his hand suddenly, causing Yuuri to freeze for a second before his head snapped in the direction the touch came front, only to meet the shining, excited gaze of Phichit who was grinning from ear to ear and went as far as to wink at him exaggeratedly. “Nice colors,” he mouthed. Yuuri grinned back, looking down at his newly recolored kimono and allowing the small befuddled sense of pride that had been hiding in his chest since the moment he had seen the change in the color of his robes to bubble up in his throat. 

“Thanks,” he replied quietly, nodding for emphasis then turned away to follow the others inside. 

Only to nearly faceplant when Phichit called after him, “Oh and Yuuri, Victor is here.”

Straightening his back, Yuuri tried to clear his mind and concentrate on the stunning sight around him. The interior of the castle was nothing like Mahoutokoro. It was all dark stone and damp coldness despite the merrily flickering torchlights lighting up the entrance hall. There were shining suits of armor lined up by the doors and he caught glimpses of moving portraits just before he stepped into the dining hall.

His breath caught at the view that welcomed him. The candles that lit up the hall were floating under the most probably enchanted starry night sky that made up the ceiling. Four long tables were lined up in the middle of the room with another one placed vertically across from them. The representatives of the other five schools were already seated at different tables alongside with a swarming sea of black-robed Hogwarts students who were just getting back to their places.

Yuuri followed his schoolmates to the table with a red and gold banner above it, making a conscious effort not to look for a familiar silver head in the crowd. He wasn’t surprised when Phichit sidled up to him and somehow managed to steer him into an empty seat that wasn’t next to Minami. 

“Are you ready for the best time of your life?” Phichit asked with a wide grin on his tanned face. “I’ll make sure to show you all the best places in the castle!”

“Thank you, Phichit,” Yuuri replied with a little laugh that turned into an awkward smile when his best friend whipped his phone out and snapped a couple of pictures of them. “I’m sure it will be… an experience.”

“Don’t be such a sourpuss, Yuuri.” Phichit pinched his cheeks and pulled, causing Yuuri to bat at his hands desperately. “We’re going to have so much fun!”

Before Yuuri could have answered, Headmaster Longbottom stood up and cleared his throat, the sound magically carrying through the whole hall. The lively conversations quieted down almost instantly and everyone’s attention turned in the headmaster’s direction, who smiled at everyone. Yuuri tried to keep his eyes on him as well, but a glimpse of silver from the corner of his eye draw his gaze away just as Headmaster Longbottom started his speech. 

Seeing Victor Nikiforov in person after three years was jarring. Yuuri couldn’t look away from the polite smile on the man’s familiar face even though he knew that he should have been paying attention to what Headmaster Longbottom was talking about. He never really deluded himself about his hero worship and the way his attention never wavered from Victor whenever he was within Yuuri’s sight. He was captivating and breathtaking and Yuuri never stood a chance against the brilliance his presence was constantly radiating. 

The last time Yuuri had seen him in person, Victor had flowing long hair that resembled the Milky Way with mesmerizing stars shining in the silky locks whenever the light just hit them right. Of course, he knew that Victor had gotten a haircut a while back, had seen the pictures and even some of his newer interviews but knowing something and being presented with real evidence were two vastly different things. And true to the images and video feed, Victor was missing the shimmering tresses, sporting an almost flamboyant look with a near bob that covered half of his face and hid one of his startling blue eyes from the curious gazes.

The man seated on his left was just as recognizable: Yakov Feltsman, the esteemed and long-time headmaster of Koldovstoretz whose scowls and forbidding but oddly caring persona were well-known across the Magical World. Victor wasn’t talking to him however. Headmaster Feltsman was staring down at his students, all of whom were sitting at the table under the blue and bronze banner with their backs straight and head held high, leaving Victor to turn to his right, quietly whispering to the imposing man with an ageless face and wild black hair. Even from the distance Yuuri was sitting he could see that the man had the most peculiar green eyes he had ever seen, the color vibrating behind his round glasses with a power that left Yuuri breathless.

“I know right?” Phichit leaned over, whispering. “To think Harry Potter actually accepted the headmaster’s invitation to coach Hogwarts’ Champion this year… it’s unbelievable.”

“I…” Yuuri stopped himself, trying to form coherent words. Harry Potter. Victor was talking to  _ Harry Potter _ like they were old friends, like it was nothing to talk to the most famous wizard of the century… one of the most powerful people in the world. He swallowed back all the stupidity that attempted to tumble out of his mouth and clenched his jaw. “I didn’t know he would be here.”

“Victor or Harry Potter?”

“Either? Both? I’m not sure.” Yuuri shrugged and hid a wince when Headmaster Longbottom mentioned that only members of each school’s delegation could sign up for the competition. Fortunately, no one even thought about looking his way, most of them too absorbed by the headmaster’s resonating words or craning their necks to get a better look at either Harry Potter or Victor Nikiforov, who finally seemed to wrap up their conversation and were looking at the crowd with polite smiles.

“I heard through the grapevine that Lord Potter took time off his travels just to be here,” Phichit explained, his dark eyes gleaming with excitement at being able to share his latest piece of information. 

“Can you believe that he’s actually turning 36 this year? He barely looks a day older than Victor if that,” the boy sitting across from them murmured. Yuuri blinked at him, earning a cheeky grin. “What? You know I’m right. The guy might be hailed as the next Messiah or whatever, but he sure knows how to stay young and hot.”

“Hm… You know there are rumors,” Phichit said, stroking his jaw. “About him and being immortal?”

The boy scoffed. “Not even  _ Voldemort _ was truly immortal in the end, was he?”

“Yes, but only because he was an idiot, Nicholas” the girl sitting next to him chimed in. Nicholas rolled his eyes, earning a swat at his shoulder. “You know I’m right. There is no evidence to support the theory about horcruxes being stronger and lasting longer if the artefacts you store the pieces of souls in have any sort of connection to you. It’s a nice idea, yes, but in the end, all that matters is you use something you can hide easily.”

“Not this again, Penny,” Nicholas groaned. “We know. If it was up to you, you’d pick a tiny grain of sand or something equally mundane as your horcrux.”

“Would you kindly shut up?” another girl with a shiny badge on her robe hissed from a few seats away. 

“Whatever, Sinead.” Nicholas flapped his hand dismissively before turning back to Yuuri with a rakish grin. “Don’t listen to her, she’s just miffed because she didn’t get chosen for the delegation. I’m Nicholas Buckland, by the way. Welcome to Hogwarts.”

“Yuuri Katsuki,” Yuuri replied quietly, making sure he was introducing himself in the correct order. 

“Oh I know.” Nicholas winked. “I was one of the starry eyed brats who got to listen to the grand story of you being a rebel three years ago. This guy here told everyone who would listen that he was your best friend. I didn’t want to believe him.”

“I… I’m sorry, what?” Yuuri stammered, only feeling slightly bad that he wasn’t paying attention to the speech that sounded like it was slowly coming to an end.

“Oh come on, you were a total… what the Yanks call it? Badass? Yes, that must be it. You were a total badass. You were what, fifteen? And went against all the rules without anyone the wiser.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Yuuri protested, feeling his cheeks heat up in his discomfort. “I–-”

“And now, allow me to introduce our prospective Champions’ coaches!” Headmaster Longbottom said, interrupting Yuuri’s abysmal fumbling for words. “From Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Christophe Giacometti!” 

The hall cheered and clapped for the tall man who winked at everyone, sporting a charming smirk. Yuuri remembered him from the previous tournament. Christophe had been nice and buoyant, and eccentric beyond belief. It seemed nothing really changed since then. 

“From Durmstrang Institute, Viktor Krum!” 

The recently retired Quidditch star got a near standing ovation from the students present and a friendly nudge from Harry Potter who was seated right next to him and smiling proudly. Krum’s own smile was brief but his dark gaze was intent as he leaned back against Potter. Victor was clapping as well, drawing Yuuri’s attention without his consent and refusing to let go until Headmaster Longbottom called the next name.

“From Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Queenie Goldstein!” 

The woman who stood up to wave cheerfully was aging gracefully considering she must have been well over a century years old by now. She was one of the oldest members of  the Magical Congress of the United States of America, or  MACUSA for short, from what Yuuri had heard of her before, and one of the strongest natural Legilimens alive. Which meant whoever got chosen as Ilvermorny’s Champion would have a great aid in her. 

“From Koldovstoretz...” Yuuri was expecting Victor’s name to be called on and he was readying himself to clap without being too obvious about it, but his hands nearly froze when he heard the headmaster’s next words. “Lilia Baranovskaya!”

Everyone who thought themselves at least a little familiar with the Dueling World knew Lilia Baranovskaya. She was a three time World Champion and the Captain of Russia’s National Team, a fearless warrior and the fiercest duelist Yuuri had ever seen. With her as their coach, Koldovstoretz’s Champion probably had the first task already in their bag. It was a discomfiting thought despite being more than sure that he would never get to be chosen.

Yuuri was dragged back to the present by Headmaster Longbottom’s jovial voice as he said, “From Mahoutokoro School of Magic, Kanako Odagaki!”

Odagaki-sensei stood up and bowed politely, accepting the polite if moderate applause she received gracefully. Despite being an esteemed Charms Mistress, she was nowhere as famous as her fellow coaches. Still, Yuuri held immense respect for the dignity she was displaying and was happy to see most of his schoolmates bore similar expressions.

“And from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry… Harry Potter!”

It was a pandemonium. Even nearly twenty years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter’s name still carried the same reverence it had just after the Second War ended. He was a living legend in the literal sense, a war hero who single handedly defeated one of the darkest wizards in history. The man who had defied death time and time again and still somehow managed to stay away from the limelight more often than not. 

No one really knew what Harry Potter really did these days. The media made up a new story every other day, quoting ‘close friends’ as their sources, but nothing ever turned out plausible. Harry Potter was practically a recluse who was traveling the world, doing what he wanted but never in places to be caught by any of the reporters starving for even a second of attention. He sometimes appeared in random people’s social media photos, usually children’s and teenagers’, but those pictures were always candid and nothing more than fleeting moments telling of nothing conclusive at all. 

He was an enigma, a mirage people were dying to see but never really managed catch, yet there he was, standing with a shy, awkward smile playing on his lips as he bowed his head. He didn’t say a word, didn’t do anything to try to stand out. He was everything yet nothing Yuuri had expected from someone so… high-profile, and Yuuri found himself awed but oddly reassured at the same time as he watched the man take his seat once again, accepting Viktor Krum’s murmured words with a shake of his head and a little, silent laugh.

Headmaster Longbottom clapped his hands once, the sound echoing in the large hall enough to make everyone slowly quiet down. Even with the way magical beings aged more slowly than the Mahoukanai, it was hard to believe he and Harry Potter used to be classmates, but the headmaster did not seem to be fazed in the least as he smiled at everyone gathered in the hall.

“Now that the introductions are over, let the festivities begin!” Someone sounded a gong and the next moment the lights dimmed in the room, just as the large doors slammed open and a small group of people in official robes brought an achingly familiar sealed chest in.

The Goblet of Fire just arrived.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are amazing! Thank you for the great response despite the long hiatus of the story. I hope you're going to enjoy the newest chapter too!
> 
> Thank you, [evidentlyfishy](http://evidentlyfishy.tumblr.com), for the first class beta work!

**Chapter 5**

Seeing Harry Potter in person was as much of a hot topic in the Mahoutokoro carriage that also served as the delegation’s dormitory as the tournament itself. No one, not even Seung-Gil, was left unaffected by the mere presence of the  _ Boy Who Lived _ and that electric buzz of excitement slid effortlessly over to everyone’s morning conversation. 

The man in question on the other hand didn’t seem to be fazed in the least as he slowly ate his breakfast and listened to whatever Viktor Krum was telling him. Krum didn’t seem to carry the same near starstruck expression that had overtaken Christophe’s face either, although Yuuri wasn’t sure if it was because he knew Potter personally or because his sharp features were simply not suited for something as mushy as adoration. 

Victor was once again seated on Potter’s other side and looked nowhere close to awake, something that suited Yuuri fine. He really did not want Victor to see him put his name into the Goblet of Fire. Actually he did not want anyone to witness the possible disaster that awaited him, but of course getting what he wanted was out of the question. Every delegation had a time slot when everyone was gathered in the dining hall to carry out the application process, starting with Hogwarts’ very own delegation just the night before. 

Phichit’s grin when the Goblet accepted the small piece of enchanted paper with his name had been infectious and lit Yuuri’s heart up with blooming pride for his best friend. He had faith in Phichit’s success and was prepared to cheer him on even as he showed solidarity for Mahoutokoro’s own champion. It did not, however, make it easier to line up with his fellow delegate members just after breakfast and wait for his turn to be judged by an ancient goblet made of magical fire and gold. 

He tried to stay as inconspicuous as possible, despite knowing that his robes set him apart from most of his schoolmates. He deliberately chose his place to be in an easily forgettable place in the line, not the first, not the last, somewhere in the middle, blending in, as if his nerves weren’t trying to wreck him in front of the entire hall of cream of magical academia and Harry Potter. And Victor Nikiforov. 

His only saving grace was that Minami was practically vibrating out of his skin in front of him, his hands shaking badly as he clutched the little piece of paper with his name and school on it. Yuuri averted his gaze from the sight and chose to stare at the hem of his robes instead, trying to immerse himself in the translation of the protective runes his hakama was embroidered with. Maybe if he stared long enough, he could get through the whole process without knowing what was happening. Or the runes would sense his fear and interpret it as a reaction to a threat and whisk him away. Nevermind that none of the runes were meant for transportation.

The Goblet’s flames flashed scarlet for a second, consuming his name and then settled back into their cool blue color without incident. It was anticlimactic and left Yuuri reeling as he tried to figure out what he had really expected. No one really cared about him anymore, the attention already moved onto the next person, Maia, who waved at the audience and dropped her name into the flames, all the while filming the process with her phone.

“One of these days,” she muttered, Yuuri just catching her words as he moved out of the way to let her stand next to him. “With Chulanont as one of the most popular people in this school, how is it possible they still don’t have Maginet?” 

“Mahoutokoro doesn’t have it either,” Yuuri commented without really meaning to. Personally, he was okay calling the internet what it really was, even if some of the wards in place prevented the Mahoukanai to find the magically owned websites and content. He didn’t even know who came up with the ridiculous name, Maginet, but he found it more pretentious than anything.

“That’s because our school is so behind the modern times I’m surprised we don’t still have to practice calligraphy and hand our notes in rolls of parchment,” she countered with a scoff. “Wait, forget what I said. I heard they still have to do that here. And they have to use quills?”

“I think they have upgraded to fountain pens by now,” Yuuri replied, lips twitching. 

Maia narrowed her eyes, hands clapping dutifully as the last member of their delegation, Daisuke-kun, dropped his name into the Goblet then bowed politely before taking his place at the end of the line their delegation formed next to the podium. Once he was in place, they bowed in unison, earning cheers and rambunctious applause from the other schools. Minako-sensei nodded her head discreetly, and they bowed once again before going back to the Gryffindor table.

Phichit nudged Yuuri’s shoulder when he sank into the seat next to him, his smile still huge and happy. “See, the world didn’t end.”

“Yet,” Yuuri retorted but his lips twitched slyly.

Phichit rolled his eyes. “Just make sure to wear your ‘ _ Phichit’s Number One Fan _ ’ t-shirt when I get chosen as Hogwarts’ Champion.”

“As if that would ever happen, Chulanont,” Nicholas snarled, sticking his tongue out. “If anyone, it should be me.”

“As if  _ that _ would happen,” Penny threw in her own two cents with a smirk. Nicholas scowled at her, nose turned up.

“Just wait and see! The Goblet knows who’s the best.”

“And that’s supposed to be you?” 

“Whatever. You have no eye for true talent.”

Yuuri found himself grinning at the altercation, Maia on his right giggling furiously. The open competitiveness was refreshing after all the subtle digs and jibes they had been used to at Mahoutokoro. And it was friendly in a way it never had been back home, even with Nicholas’ pouting and his classmates’ jeers. Phichit winked at him, eyebrows raised, and Yuuri smiled back, realizing that his jittering nerves had finally calmed enough for him to enjoy the rest of the morning without checking every other second if Victor had noticed him or not.

Phichit made good on his promise and took Yuuri and a few of the other members of the Mahoutokoro delegation on a tour of the castle just after lunch. They watched as Koldovstoretz’s delegation dropped their names in the Goblet of Fire, most of their faces stony and showing absolute disinterest. One of the girls was grinning wide and waving at everyone, winking at anyone who managed to catch her eye. Yuuri thought she looked out of place in the sombre looking group especially when she grabbed a small, blond boy around his neck to ruffle his hair much to the boy’s irritation.

The boy’s green eyes were glaring venomously, daring anyone to comment, causing Yuuri to turn his head away to hide his smile. His gaze met Phichit’s over Minami’s head, who was excitedly listing all the information he had gathered on the Koldovstoretz delegation, and they bit into their lower lips in unison to keep their amusement checked. So far, things had been going much better than Yuuri had expected. 

The tour itself was fascinating and it was great to see most of the places Phichit had told him about in his letters in person. Considering it was the tail end of October, the weather was cold, but not something Yuuri wasn’t used to with Mahoutokoro having been built on top of Japan’s highest mountain. The few students who ventured out in their thick black cloaks threw him and his schoolmates curious looks, taking in their colorful attire that was so different from all the other schools’ unified clothing. 

“That’s the Black Lake over there,” Phichit said, gesturing at the calmly rolling, glittering water harboring the Durmstrang ship not far from them. “Rumor says there are some interesting creatures living at the bottom, but we only ever get to see the Giant Squid.”

“Giant Squid?” Maia echoed, her tone excited.

“Yes. It likes to come out and play with the students when it’s warm. It’s really friendly.”

“That… Oh, Harry Potter!” Minami exclaimed his eyes widening at the sight of the man standing in front of the white marble memorial built for the heroes of the war the British Magical Community fought against Voldemort and his army. 

Everyone turned to see the man better even as Mao-san grabbed Minami’s upper arm to prevent him from doing something mortifying like approaching Potter-san. “ _ Don’t even think about it, _ ” she reprimanded in their mother tongue, her glare making Minami shy away and nod meekly. “Phichit-san, Black Lake?”

“Ah, yes! So as I was saying…” Phichit grinned and made an effort to relay as much information about the grounds as he could to steer the attention away from Harry Potter and his obvious need to be alone.

Yuuri couldn’t take his eyes off the somber looking man even as he followed after Phichit and his schoolmates, noticing the slight slump of his shoulders and the way Potter-san’s fingers seemingly traced whatever was etched into the white marble in front of him. A quick glance showed him that the other students were keeping their distance as well, but Yuuri could see how most of them were just waiting for the chance to pounce on their Hero the same way they had done to Viktor Krum just before breakfast. 

Their group skirted the late Headmaster Dumbledore’s intricate tomb and the memorial Potter-san was standing by, doing their best to respect the man’s privacy, but Potter-san still noticed their presence despite the distance, his eyes sharp and way too intense for Yuuri to hold his gaze for longer than a second. Still, he saw as Potter-san dipped his head in acknowledgement before he focused on the memorial again. It set a bubbling warmth alight in Yuuri’s belly, but it was nothing compared to the strangled squeak Minami let out or the sharp gasp that left Maia’s mouth.

“ _ Did that just happen? _ ” she asked, sounding reverent.

“ _ It did! _ ” Minami gushed, his arms flailing. “ _ The great Harry Potter-sama greeted us! _ ”

“ _ You two are embarrassing _ ,” Mao-san interjected before Maia could say anything else.

“Whatever you guys said, I totally second you,” Nicholas commented, his hold on Penny’s arm causing the girl to wince and glare at him. “Having him as my coach, I bet he can teach me  _ a lot _ of things.”

“That’s disgusting, Buckland,” Penny shot back and yanked her arm away, shaking it out. “As if a wizard of Harry Potter’s standing would ever look at you twice.”

“Sod off, Coomes, I’m a catch.”

“You’re sixteen.”

“So?”

“He could be your father.”

“But he’s not. And he barely looks older than us.”

“ _ Yuuri-senpai, what are they talking about? _ ” Minami asked, confusion written all over his face.

“ _ You don’t want to know, Minami _ ,” Maia replied with a pat to his head. 

“ _ Whaa–-? But I want to know! My English is not as good as yours.” _

“ _ It’s okay, Minami-kun _ ,” Yuuri said, suppressing a wince as Penny slapped Nicholas on the back of his head, hard. “ _ It’s none of our business. _ ”

Minami pouted but nodded, only to blink rapidly when they stopped in front of the small, cozy hut that stood on the other side of the lake. Phichit, who had been chattering about the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid––the old Gamekeeper who had retired after the War––, threw a smirk at Nicholas’s thunderous face before he swept his arms out and gestured at the tall, red haired man who stepped out of the hut with an easy-going smile on his face.

“This is Professor Charlie Weasley. He’s the best Study of Magical Creatures and Beings teacher ever,” Phichit claimed, his expression proud. He grinned at Yuuri, causing him to blush, knowing fully well how many of his letters had been centered around Professor Weasley’s lesson topics.

“Welcome to Hogwarts!” Professor Weasley greeted them with a small bow, smiling when Yuuri and his schoolmates returned it immediately. “I hope you’ll have a great time here. And while I know your Headmistress arranged your studies to be as smooth flowing as possible, feel free to check out my classes if you’re interested.”

“Thank you,” Yuuri replied, bowing in gratitude and to hide his probably way too excited expression from Phichit. His schoolmates did the same, although Yuuri saw from the corner of his eye that Minami was looking at Maia for explanation despite mimicking the others. 

“We really appreciate the offer,” Mao-san added politely.

“What is on your agenda next, Professor?” Phichit asked, sidling up next to Yuuri and throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Something exciting, right? Dragons?”

Professor Weasley laughed, shaking his head. It was obvious that he was used to Phichit’s antics, which might have been Yuuri’s fault. A little. If he hadn’t asked so many questions in his letters, Phichit would have never stayed behind after class to pester his professor about the creatures they had been learning about. Then again, Yuuri’s love for magical creatures and beings helped Phichit get into his professor’s good graces and ace the class every year since he had picked it as one of his electives back in Third Year. 

“You wouldn’t want me to spoil the surprise, would you?” Professor Weasley replied, his blue eyes shining in the pale sunlight. Yuuri was almost sure he heard Maia and even Mao sigh next to him, and he couldn’t really fault them. Professor Weasley had an air of magnetism around him that seemed to draw everyone’s attention, but it was a charming, friendly sort of energy, not the absolute power Harry Potter seemed to ooze from every pore. 

Phichit pouted exaggeratedly and the familiar way he exploited his self-claimed and proven adorableness made Yuuri bite his lip to hide his smile. “But Professor, how can you expect the cream of magical education to find interest in your lessons if you don’t even give them a hint on what they should expect?” 

Professor Weasley hummed and rubbed his chin with a large, freckled hand thoughtfully, playing along with the ploy. “Maybe you’re right. Giving a little hint couldn’t hurt,” he said with a nod before he flicked his hand, his wand slipping into his grip from its hiding place in the right sleeve of his robes. He swished the light brown wand, the movement short and sharp that ended in a little flutter, causing a light wisp of smoke to emerge from the tip, coiling and twisting in the air until it formed a small dog like form curled up with its long, fluffy tail covering its nose. 

Yuuri tilted his head, trying to get a better look at the swirling form of the creature. With its snout mostly hidden under its tail, only his ears and tail itself could serve as clues for them. A quick glance around told Yuuri that his schoolmates looked confused, their expressions showing befuddlement.

“Fox?” Minami blurted out, nonplussed. “Fox magical?”

“It’s not a Kitsune,” Mao-san mused, tapping her chin.

“Kitsune? What’s a Kitsune?” Nicholas was staring at them, seemingly even more confused than they were. “Chulanont, are they mixing languages? This thing looks like a purse dog to me. Is that a purse dog in Japanese? Kitsune?”

Yuuri stifled his snicker unlike Phichit who outright laughed at Nicholas’ confusion. Professor Weasley was kind enough not to laugh, but he was still smiling, obviously amused by his student’s outburst.

“Kitsune are fox spirits, Nicholas-san,” Maia said, taking pity on the boy. “Fox spirits are tricksters and have a really long history in Japan.”

“The most powerful ones have nine or more tails and wield magic like no other creature,” Yuuri added without really thinking about it.

“That’s correct,” Professor Weasley agreed, his smile widening. “The creature I plan to teach my students about isn’t a Kitsune, however.”

“It would be foolish to bring one to bring a full-fledged Kitsune among human children, magical or not,” Yuuri found himself saying. He did like Kitsune and would have loved to study even one from up close, but he wasn’t a fool. As innocent as they looked in their animal form, they were often volatile and lived to cause chaos and disorder. “And that image doesn’t look like a Kitsune either.” It really didn’t. The single tail in itself was telling enough.

“You’re right…”

“Yuuri, his name is Yuuri Katsuki,” Phichit chirped, squeezing Yuuri’s shoulder. 

“Ah.” The expression settling on the professor’s face caused Yuuri’s cheeks to feel warm. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, Yuuri.” Professor Weasley stepped closer, offering his hand. Yuuri fumbled, trying to force his brain to come up with actual words and put them in his mouth, but the best he could do was to grasp Professor Weasley’s broad hand with his pathetically smaller one and hope that the sudden flow of sweat breaking the skin of his palm would not put the man off forever.

“Th-thank you,” he stuttered out. “Nice to meet you too.”

Professor Weasley beamed at him before turning back to the others. “Yuuri is right. This sweet little thing here is not a Kitsune, but it doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous.”

“But what is it?” Nicholas groaned. “And don’t say we’ll see in class, because I’m only a sixth year and we’re only up to Runespures.”

Professor Weasley shrugged, unrepentant. “Then you’ll have to ask one of the upper years, won’t you?”

Nicholas squawked with his eyes wide, outraged, while the others laughed. Yuuri was chuckling too, then promptly glared at Phichit who somehow managed to sneak a selfie of the two of them, while Yuuri wasn’t paying attention. Phichit winked, then slipped off to do the same with the others too, successfully distracting everyone from the topic at hand. They didn’t stay much longer after that because making an appearance at all meals was mandatory, but Phichit somehow managed to get a group photo with Professor Weasley also posing with them before they had to head back to the castle. 

“I can’t believe Prof. Weasley didn’t tell us,” Nicholas groused, making Penny roll her eyes alongside with Phichit. “Don’t pretend you’re not dying to know what that thing was Chulanont!”

“Unlike you, I can wait another few days to learn new things, Nick,” Phichit retorted with his nose in the air, but Yuuri could see his lips twitch, dangerously close to betray him.

“Yes, but that’s because you’re a lazy arse––-”

“It’s a Yako,” Yuuri cut in before they could get into a real argument, causing everyone to look at him.

“Yuuri-senpai?” Minami asked, eyes sparkling. 

“Yako are fox-like creatures, also called nogitsune,” Yuuri went on, offering a weak smile to the boy. “They are also tricksters, known to possess Mahoukanai… Muggles?” He looked at the Hogwarts students for confirmation who nodded, intrigued. “Yes, so they sometimes possess Muggles to cause destruction, but they are not as strong as Kitsune are. On their own they are quite harmless.”

“Can they possess wizards too?” Penny asked, wide eyed.

Yuuri chewed his lips in thought as they walked through the doors of the Dining… Great Hall. “It’s not common. Definitely not adults. Children maybe, but their… self-preservation instinct is strong. And children are usually protected by their parents.”

“Do they exclusively live in Japan?” Nicholas looked wary, his hands fiddling with his utensils and his gaze jumping around as if he was expecting to be jumped in any moment.

“They tend to stay in small, Muggle-populated areas,” Yuuri replied with a small shrug. He wasn’t incredibly well versed in the different fox shaped creatures’ habits. While he respected their power, he found their borderline homicidal nature disturbing. Not to mention, as much as he loved studying magical creatures, his main interest lay in runic magic.

Someone tapped Nicholas on the shoulder, drawing his attention away and thankfully closing the topic on Japanese magical creatures. Yuuri did his best to focus on the people around him instead of on the head table where Victor was once again seated next to Harry Potter and chatting with the man amicably. He had no business staring at Victor Nikiforov and how the golden light of the floating candles above their heads reflected on his silvery hair, but it seemed like he just couldn’t help himself. Which was how he basically missed the entire Ilvermorny delegation dropping their names into the Goblet and only realized the ceremony had ended when Maia nudged his arm to make him move and get back to the carriage. 

Yuuri let out a shaky breath even as his legs moved on their own. He was in  much bigger trouble than he thought. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it and feel free to talk to me here or find me on trumblr! I'm [yurionmagic ](http://yurionmagic.tumblr.com)


End file.
